A2 draws 0.47 amps with everything turned off

B

bfbgp

New Member
My 2002 1.4 petrol draws 0.47 amps with everything turned off and the car locked. This drains the battery in 3-4 days unless the car is used.
I know other folk have had similar problems but cannot find any solutions to that.

My electrical abilities are limited at best and dangerous at worst given that I have very substantial colour vision deficiencie.

The car is now what is sometimes called in preservation and any work needing done is done.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I cannot close the service hatch and the alarm switch there is missing..
 
A quick initial solution would be to remove fuses one by one (and then immediately replacing them) until the current drain disappears. That will give you a starting point.

RAB
 
bfbgp said:
My 2002 1.4 petrol draws 0.47 amps with everything turned off and the car locked. This drains the battery in 3-4 days unless the car is used.
I know other folk have had similar problems but cannot find any solutions to that.

My electrical abilities are limited at best and dangerous at worst given that I have very substantial colour vision deficiencie.

The car is now what is sometimes called in preservation and any work needing done is done.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

I cannot close the service hatch and the alarm switch there is missing..
Click to expand...

Does it have an aftermarket radio?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Remove the ciggy lighter fuse and see if things improve.

The car alarm is working correctly and not being triggered?
 
RAB said:
A quick initial solution would be to remove fuses one by one (and then immediately replacing them) until the current drain disappears. That will give you a starting point.

RAB
Click to expand...
RAB's spot on.
As Mr Punch would say: (if he had an A2)
"that's the way to do it"
Mac.
 
0.47 amps seems rather high? You've fitted a multi - meter in line with the positive battery terminal and set it to amps ? Usually current flow is so low that you need a milli-amps range. Anyway, as has been said you then remove and replace each fuse until one of them eliminates the reading showing on the multi-meter. Then you can check out all the components /circuit(s) served by that fuse, taking each part in turn to see which item (when isolated) causes the current flow to stop.

David
 
Thank you for the replies all helpful.

The radio is original.

0.47 amps is a lot but that is the draw, it is draining the battery over 3-4 days which would require that level of draw. The battery is about 1 year old. When running the voltage is 14 ish so the alternator is working.

The alarm is arming and working as it should

I think I need to start pulling fuses.

as an aside I use a modern EV daily but prefer the A2 I think the A2 would make a great EV.
 
My 2001 1.4TDi had a similar problem and it turned out to be the CCCU. If you search 'CCCU' on here you will find that I was not the only only one. The CCCU serial number changes in the later cars and there were problems with the early ones (AZ, I think). My local electrician could not locate the problem and the alarm/lock function was normal.
 
With @Providence on this one. Either the CCCU is faulty or something is preventing the CCCU going to sleep and staying asleep. More common on the early single digit CCCU. Have also seen the ciggy socket being the source of power drain. Rule it out by puling the fuse.
Especially when you say you can not close the service hatch and the switch is not there. As the hatch closes the switch is made so if there is no switch then the wiring needs to still make a continuous circuit.
 
audifan said:
With @Providence on this one. Either the CCCU is faulty or something is preventing the CCCU going to sleep and staying asleep. More common on the early single digit CCCU. Have also seen the ciggy socket being the source of power drain. Rule it out by puling the fuse.
Especially when you say you can not close the service hatch and the switch is not there. As the hatch closes the switch is made so if there is no switch then the wiring needs to still make a continuous circuit.
Click to expand...
I still think the fuse check is an obvious, quick, and positive place to start. If it is CCCU, the fuse check will confirm it.
Mac.
 
It would definitely be good to get a VCDS scan if you can.

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For me it was a corroded alarm unit that was draining my battery. I’ve not had any power issues since removing it.
 
I happen to have this very problem, To "practice what I preach" I connected a multi-meter in line and measuring amps. It initially was reading 0.56 Amps but decided to settle to just 0.05 Amps. Removing one fuse after another had no effect except when I got to fuse number 2, the radio fuse. Removal and re-insertion caused the current to increase to 0.25 amps. I repeated this action a few times and it always had this effect. There's something else that I noticed. When I broke the circuit (the battery connection) and re-connected, there was quite a spark and high current on the meter. (Everything Was off) The current then stabilised to 0.56 Amps. Removing fuse number 2 gives a stable current reading of 0.05 amps. I feel that there is instability in the electrical aspect of the A2 which can result in a reasonable current flow with everything off. This discharges the battery over time. Normal "at - rest" current is 0.05 Amps and may be the anti-theft alarm which isn't fused. I'll be leaving out fuse 2 to see how the battery retains it's charge .......

David
 
DJ 190 said:
I happen to have this very problem, To "practice what I preach" I connected a multi-meter in line and measuring amps. It initially was reading 0.56 Amps but decided to settle to just 0.05 Amps. Removing one fuse after another had no effect except when I got to fuse number 2, the radio fuse. Removal and re-insertion caused the current to increase to 0.25 amps. I repeated this action a few times and it always had this effect. There's something else that I noticed. When I broke the circuit (the battery connection) and re-connected, there was quite a spark and high current on the meter. (Everything Was off) The current then stabilised to 0.56 Amps. Removing fuse number 2 gives a stable current reading of 0.05 amps. I feel that there is instability in the electrical aspect of the A2 which can result in a reasonable current flow with everything off. This discharges the battery over time. Normal "at - rest" current is 0.05 Amps and may be the anti-theft alarm which isn't fused. I'll be leaving out fuse 2 to see how the battery retains it's charge .......
Click to expand...
Rather than putting a meter in line, it would preferable to use a clamp meter. The sharp rise in consumption is most likely due to the disconnection.

RAB
 
RAB said:
Rather than putting a meter in line, it would preferable to use a clamp meter. The sharp rise in consumption is most likely due to the disconnection.
Click to expand...
RAB, Looking online I can only see clamp meters for AC, not DC. What make of device are you using?
 
Alan_uk said:
RAB, Looking online I can only see clamp meters for AC, not DC. What make of device are you using?
Click to expand...

Battery Drain

Thought it best to turn the engine over every few days while I gather the funds for my suspension repair. All I get on the dash is the airbag light dimly lit, nothing else comes on. Its just had a brand new battery, but I swapped the drivers side doors and barrel over from a donor car on...
www.a2oc.net www.a2oc.net

They are usually AC and DC. Only put the clamp around the L or N/+ or -, otherwise they cancel one another out!

The AC only models are usually for high voltage (300v and above) professional use, where DC use is not a requirement, especially low volt DC.

RAB
 
Last edited by a moderator:
RAB said:

Battery Drain

Thought it best to turn the engine over every few days while I gather the funds for my suspension repair. All I get on the dash is the airbag light dimly lit, nothing else comes on. Its just had a brand new battery, but I swapped the drivers side doors and barrel over from a donor car on...
www.a2oc.net www.a2oc.net

They are usually AC and DC. Only put the clamp around the L or N/+ or -, otherwise they cancel one another out!

RAB
Click to expand...
Mine, a Fluke, certainly does AC & DC.
Mac.
 
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